Page:The letters of Martin Luther.djvu/300

 the highest degree of perfection, for love and unity reign among you. May the Lord continue this; and pray for me. MARTIN LUTHER. WITTENBERG.

CCLXI
TO MARTIN BUCER, PREACHER IN STRASSBURG

Concerning the Lord’s Supper.

January 22, 1531.

Grace and peace in Christ! We read your confession of faith, and highly approve of it, and thank God that we are so far at least agreed that the body and blood are really in the Lord’s Supper, and given as food to the soul. But why maintain that Zwingli and OEcolampadius are of the same opinion?

If we say that Christ’s body is really offered as food to the soul, and that it is no contradiction to assert He is as much offered to a Christless soul, although it cannot at once perceive it, even as the sunlight illuminates the eyes of the blind as well as of those who see, I wonder you should be loath to admit that we outwardly put the body into the mouths of the godless as well as of the pious. For admitting that all are allowed to partake of it, then it cannot be denied that the body is present in several places at once. If this opinion does not yet prevail among you, then the negotiations must be stopped, awaiting further enlightenment from God. I cannot recede from this position, and if you do not feel that this idea lies in Christ’s words, then how can there be an enduring union between us unless I am willing to sow the seeds of still greater dissensions in our congregations, thus causing a split which will prevent any unanimity.

Therefore, I beseech you, let us not ratify such a false agreement, which will cause all manner of offences, but leave the matter to God, and seek meantime to maintain this understanding that both parties admit that the body of Christ is really present in the sacrament, and partaken of inwardly by believers. For were we to do more than this, your people who partake of the sacrament with us, and ours who do so with you, would necessarily receive it